I would like to briefly discuss a
common attitude about Hell. It is a sort of compromise between the
“love wins” idea that no one will be damned, and the “God hates
you” idea that everyone except the purely pure members of the
purely pure church will be damned. This idea is more along the lines
of “Well, yes, Hell exists, but it's not really for you and me.
It's for particularly nasty people. You know, like Hitler.”
Ah, but why do people think Hitler
belongs in Hell? Usually, it is because he did many very bad things.
These things were so bad, and of such a significant quantity, that
eternal punishment is a just and right consequence. Very well, one
might respond. However, those actions, however horrible, were finite
in nature, and the punishment is infinite. So, you acknowledge that,
at some point, a finite amount of sins merit an infinite amount of
punishment.
Let us consider mathematics. If sin is
represented by x, and Hitler
committed 20,000,000x,
to pick a number, and 20,000,000x
equals ∞,
then what does 100x
equal? How about 10x?
I am no mathematician, but is there not something about x,
or sin, that leads to ∞? Therefore, it is the x
that merits damnation, regardless of the number in front of it. After
all, when compared with infinity, what is the difference between
20,000,000 and 10? When compared with infinity, all the crimes of
Hitler are no different than a single sinful thought.
Therefore,
would it not be best to say, “All of us, myself included, are in
the same boat. If one of us merits Hell, we all do. Therefore, let us
all work out our salvation with fear and trembling, trusting in God's
mercy and not in our own righteousness. Many thought to be quite
wicked will likely be in Heaven, and many thought to be quite
righteous will likely be in Hell. Let us pray for the salvation of
all, but assume it for none, especially not ourselves.”
Some
of you do not believe in Hell, finding it to be an unjust and
monstrous idea. I can respect that. It's certainly an idea I have had
from time to time. However, for those of you who hold to Christian
doctrine, remember that when it comes to sin, you are not a beautiful
and unique snowflake. All of us are the same.
